Death Valley Girls - Darkness Rains
The presence of Hole/Vivian Girls drummer Patty Schemel no doubt helped earn Death Valley Girls attention when they emerged half a decade ago. Patty is no longer with the band, the current line-up being her guitarist brother Larry, vocalist/ multi-instrumentalist Bonnie Bloomgarden, bassist Rachel Orosco and Laura Kelsey of the Flytraps on drums.
For a lot of this album, the music of Death Valley Girls is, to all intents and purposes, Asheton-Asheton-Alexander era Stooges given an injection of psyche. It is squally, scuzzy, heavy, garage rock topped off with Bloomgarden’s effective, effecting holler. That voice is equal parts Patti Smith impersonating Robert Plant and Perry (Jane’s Addiction) Farrell channeling Janis Joplin.
On this, their third LP, DVG do nothing that hasn’t been done before, but it is at its best – like on (One Less Thing) Before I Die, Unzip Your Forehead or TV In Jail On Mars - thrilling and enthralling and utterly captivating. The downside is that some of the other tracks don’t come up to scratch as songs. They have great riffs, oh yes, but they don’t hit the target as memorable songs. Ah well, Darkness Rains ain’t perfect but it is still a bloody fine listen, and in places, hits greatness.
7/10
